Resilient sectional storage tank

ABSTRACT

A container, especially storage tank, comprising a bottom ring for placement on the ground and including a plurality of interconnected bottom ring segments, a canvas placed on said bottom ring and forming the floor of the container, a plurality of wall segments placed side by side around the circumference of the container on the canvas and a plurality of first clamping screws connecting adjacent wall segments to each other, and a plurality of second clamping screws connecting the wall segments to the bottom ring.

United States Patent Heinrich Grunhoff Unna-Konigsborn;

Werner Schulz, Kaarst; Josef Reisdori, Frondenberg-Lanpchede, all 01, Germany [2|] App]. No. 875,951

[72] Inventors [22] Filed Nov. 12, 1969 [4S] Patented July 27, 1971 [73] Assignee 'lhyssen lndustrie Gmbll Dusseldorf, Germany [32] Priority Nov. 11, 1968 [3 3] Germany [54] RESILIENT SECTIONAL STORAGE TANK 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

52 us. Cl 150 .5, 22011 B, 220/5 A [51] Int. Cl A45c I00,

[50] Field olsearchh,

220/ l 5; ISO/.5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,460,704 8/1969 Moore et al. 220/5 A 3,480,058 11/1969 Harr 150/.5

Primary Examiner-George T. Hall Anomey-Emest F. Marmorek ABSTRACT: A container, especially storage tank, comprising a bottom ring for placement on the ground and including a plurality of interconnected bottom ring segments, a canvas placed on said bottom ring and forming the floor of the container, a plurality of wall segments placed side by side around the circumference of the container on the canvas and a plurality of first clamping screws connecting adjacent wall segments to each other, and a plurality of second clamping screws connecting the wall segments to the bottom ring.

PAIENTED JULE'! I971 sum 1 [IF 2 In verdanin a" Q7 57 726,45

RESILIENT SECTIONAL STORAGE TANK I BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a large storage tank or container that can be disassembled, especially for mineral oils or their derivates, with a canvas fioor supported on the ground below interconnected wall segments which have the same height as the storage container.

It is known to assemble a storage tank or container of the above-mentioned type from floor and wall segments by means of screws, the container being usable especially for the temporary storage of fuels, sometimes for military purposes. Tanks of this type may have a contents of several hundred cubic yards. The individual segments are tightly interconnected by means of a large number of screw connections, thus making the assembly difi'rcult and time consuming although it is the intended purpose that the tank be assembled in a very short period of time.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a large storage tank or container that can be disassembled, which will overcome the just mentioned disadvantages.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a storage tank of the above-mentioned type which can be assembled in a fraction of the time heretofore required. The problem underlying the invention has been solved by mounting braced wall segments having seals therebetween on a bottom or floor ring having sealing means, by means of screws while placing a cover or canvas consisting of synthetic material therebetween. The bottom or floor ring consists of segments screwed together, while the wall segments which carry the roof structure of the tank in a manner known per se, are provided with circumferential strips. These strips having a substantially square profile and are manufactured preferably in an extruding process. The wall segments and the bottom ring segments are interconnected by means of clamping screws while having sealing means interposed therebetween.

As will be evident from the above, the bottom of the tank which was heretofore formed from sheet metal segments now consists of a bottom ring that can easily be assembled and a canvas type-cover. The torsion-resistant strips by means of which the sheet metal parts of the wall segments are framed, permit the use of relatively thin sheet metal pieces and permit the spacing of the clamping screws at a distance which is a multiple of the spacing of the screw connections in heretofore comparable storage tanks. Therefore, a much smaller number of such screw connections is required. Moreover, clamping screws are considerably more easy to apply than the heretofore customary through screw bolts.

The vertical strips or edges of the wall segments preferably have a groove or key profile while the depth of the key is smaller than the depth of the groove by an amountequaling the thickness of the sealing means placed therebetween.

The lower ledge or strip of the wall segments is preferably provided with a substantially plane surface confined by a centering collar for compressing the plastic canvas. The upper ledge or strip of the wall segments is provided with a beaded profile over which the roof canvas can be pulled.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated by way of example in the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows partly in section and partly in front view an assembled storage tank according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a section through the vertical connection between adjacent wall segments as taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a cross section through a horizontal connection between the wall segments and the bottom ring section taken along the line 111-111 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 illustrates on an enlarged scale the encircled portion ofFIG. 1;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing in detail, the storage container illustrated in FIG. 1, which may have a height of ap-' proximately 5 yards and a diameter of approximately 12 to l5 yards, comprises a bottom or floor ring 1 consisting of a number of tightly interconnected segments. Floor ring 1 receives a number of wall segments 2 the height of which corresponds to the height of the storage tank or container, whereas the width of the wall segments is determined by other considerations such as the permissible loading width of carrier vehicles. The wall segment 2 are tightly braced with respect to each other and with respect to the segments of the bottom ring I by means of clamping screws 3. The bottom or floor of the storage tank is formed by a canvas or the like made of a plastic material and designated with the reference numeral 4. Finally, the roof structure consists of light metal trusses 5 loosely placed upon the wall structure, purlins 6 and a canvas 7 of plastic material forming the roof skin. Canvas 7 is connected to the wall segments by studs 8.

When assembling the container, for instance on a consolidated sand bed 9 upon laying out the bottom ring 1 and imbedding supporting plates 10, the canvas 4 is laid out and the ridge of the roof structure is raised by a tripod support 11. Now it is possible to raise individually the wall segments 2 and secure the same by one truss 5 each.

According to FIG. 2, at the vertical joint between wall segments 2, two strips 12 and 13, one with a groove 14 and the other with a key 15 interact. The joint absorbs the transverse forces acting upon the wall segments. The height of key 15 is shorter than the depth of the groove 14 by the thickness of the completely imbedded plastic seal 16. On the outside, strips 12 and 13 are provided with nose portions 17 which in part define surfaces 17a, 17b adapted to receive portions of the clamping screws 3.

In view of the fact that the strips are resistant to torsion in 1 view of their substantially square profile and in view of the fact that they are reinforced by the segments 2 in the direction of the wall, the spacing between adjacent screws 3 may easily exceed 12 inches. Because of the hydraulic load on the joints in the lower portion of the container, the spacing of the screw connections is smaller than between segments 2, as can be seen from a comparison of the joints in the left-hand portion of FIG. 1. When manufacturing the strips by extruding, it is easily possible to work within close tolerances, especially for the above-described key and groove connection. As will be evident from FIG. 3, because of the canvas 4 the sealing surface at the horizontal joint of the wall segments 2 with the bottom ring 1 is even. A lower seal 18 is solidly supported in a groove of the bottom ring profile 1. An upper seal 19 is loosely placed on top of canvas 4. The bottom ring profile is provided with a centering collar 20 while strip 22 is provided with a centering extension 21. Strip 22 has an approximately square profile as well as portions 17 for the clamping screws 3.

The vertical joints of FIG. 2 and the horizontal joints of FIG. 3 abut and form corners as shown in FIG. 4. These are offset with respect to the joints 23 between the bottom ring segments 1, which joints are braced by fishplates 25, 26 and 27.

The wall segments 2 have their top portions provided with beadlike strips 24 for loosely supporting the roof structure so that the canvas 7 can be pulled thereover under tension without damage. Trusses 5 do not extend beyond strips 24 but are supported on holding means (not shown) on the interior of the wall segments.

From the above, it is apparent that although the invention has been described hereinbefore with respect to a specific embodiment thereof, it is evident that many modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, by the appended claims, we intend to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

We claim:

1. A container, especially storage tank, comprising bottom ring means for placement on the ground and including a plurality of interconnected bottom ring segments. canvas means placed on said bottom ring means and forming the floor of said container, a plurality of wall segments placed side by side around the circumference of said container on said canvas means, and a plurality of first clamping screws connecting adjacent wall segments to each other, and a plurality of second clamping screws connecting said wall segments to said bottom ring means.

2. A container according to claim 1, which includes first and second sealing means between adjacent wall segments, and between said wall segments and bottom ring means respectively.

3. A container according to claim 2, wherein each of said wall segments is provided with a circumferential strip of extruded metal of substantially square cross section.

4. A container according to claim 3, wherein said adjacent strips between adjacent wall segments are provided with coacting groove and key means and receiving said first sealing means respectively therebetween, the depth of said groove equaling the thickness of said first sealing means plus the height of said key.

5. A container according to claim 3, wherein said strips have an even surface at those portions thereof which face said bottom ring means, said bottom ring means being provided with a centering collar receiving the marginal portion of said canvas means and said respective sealing means between said wall segments and bottom ring means,

6. A container according to claim 3 having a roof structure including a plurality of trusses respectively placed upon said wall segments, said strips having a beaded profile on those portions thereof which face said roof structure, and canvas means placed over said trusses and pulled under tension over said beaded profile portions of said strips. 

1. A container, especially storage tank, comprising bottom ring means for placement on the ground and including a plurality of interconnected bottom ring segments, canvas means placed on said bottom ring means and forming the floor of said container, a plurality of wall segments placed side by side around the circumference of said container on said canvas means, and a plurality of first clamping screws connecting adjacent wall segments to each other, and a plurality of second clamping screws connecting said wall segments to said bottom ring means.
 2. A container according to claim 1, which includes first and second sealing means between adjacent wall segments, and between said wall segments and bottom ring means respectively.
 3. A container according to claim 2, wherein each of said wall segments is provided with a circumferential strip of extruded metal of substantially square cross section.
 4. A container according to claim 3, wherein said adjacent strips between adjacent wall segments are provided with coacting groove and key means and receiving said first sealing means respectively therebetween, the depth of said groove equaling the thickness of said first sealing means plus the height of said key.
 5. A container according to claim 3, wherein said strips have an even surface at those portions thereof which face said bottom ring means, said bottom ring means being provided with a centering collar receiving the marginal portion of said canvas means and said respective sealing means between said wall segments and bottom ring means.
 6. A container according to claim 3 having a roof structure including a plurality of trusses respectively placed upon said wall segments, said strips having a beaded profile on those portions thereof which face said roof structure, and canvas means placed over said trusses and pulled under tension over said beaded profile portions of said strips. 